L Words

The "L" stands for love. And lesbians. And lyrics from hip-hop duo God-des and She—who, come to think of it, once appeared on HBO's "The L Word," cable's most prominent source of literate, lusty lesbians.

Bigger is better

By Simon McCormack

Murder by Death knows only one size.

"I tend to be more interested in big things," explains singer-songwriter Adam Turla. "I feel like so many people write songs about simple stuff. One of the reasons why I do write such big, theatrical songs is that there’s not as many people doing it."

Epic struggles between good and evil fill the lyric sheets, and the meaty Americana that saddles up beside it gallops through sonic peaks and valleys. It could be called alt.country-noir, or cowpoke indie rock, but either way, the scent that wafts past your nostrils is robust.

Sagarmatha is the Nepalese name for Mount Everest, and the title couldn't be better suited for this sky-scraping LP. The Appleseed Cast reaches the summit only after a lengthy climb through post-rock soundscapes that stretch for miles. Vocals show up sporadically, and when they do, they're so echoing and distorted they might as well be another guitar. The temperament stays at an even keel—there are no depressions, no high-spirited peaks. It's a kind of fog that engulfs the record and refuses to disperse, keeping a shroud of mystery over every step of the ascension. Squawking guitar sirens are your only guide as to what comes next. (SM)

Yule Logs and Jingle Balls • Holly Rebelle • Mena Domina • burlesque

By Devin D. O'Leary

Gilded Cage Burlesk and Varieté is definitely getting on Santa's Naughty list with Yule Logs and Jingle Balls: A Very Risqué, Very Glittery, Very Burlesque Ode to the Holidays. Burlesque dancers, sideshow performers, drag acts and more join forces to celebrate this most sparkly of holidays in grand style…